Havre de Grace to Breeze Monday

10/30/2011

2:25 pm EDT

Havre de Grace galloped on the main track under trainer Larry Jones after arriving at Churchill Downs yesterday. She's scheduled for a five-furlong work Monday morning after the break with Gabriel Saez.

“We have had time to look at the weather. and it doesn’t look like this weekend will be like Belmont yesterday,” Jones said, referring to bad weather in New York on Saturday and the filly's camp's decision to enter only the Classic to the exclusion of the Ladies Classic. A possible bad post position had also been discussed.

“A lot of emphasis is placed on the Derby with where the gate is,” Jones said. “With a 20-horse field, they use a second gate, and the one and two spots are squeezed in toward the rail. With just one gate (for the Classic), the gate is moved out a bit from the rail, and the one hole is more like the three.”

The 4-year-old daughter of Saint Liam has won five of six starts in 2011 with her lone loss coming by a nose in the Grade Delaware Handicap (GII) at 1 1/4 mile. After the Classic, there may be more to come in 2012.

“Rick has every intention of running her in 2012,” Jones said. “At the start of the year, we wanted to get her in position for Horse of the Year because we felt like she had a shot. I have had some fast fillies, but she is just special.”

Winner of the Grade I Beldame Invitational on Oct. 1 by 8 1/4 lengths, Havre de Grace had her last work at Keeneland last Monday, a five-furlong move in :58.60.

“She is doing really well and acting like she is feeling better than she ever has in the past two weeks,” Jones said. “I don’t know if it is the cooler weather, but she is very lively and acts like she is ready to do something.”